I’ve found a Friend, oh, such a Friend

Lael I love the new verse Thank you for sharing

What a wonderful and blessed song both words and melody. I will translate it into Arabic

I have found my very best friend, Jesus Christ. He loved me, even before I existed. He gave me a present a long time ago, but nobody else has been able to give me a gift better than that. and I can never give Him a gift to match His one. I can only accept it, from the deepest depths of my heart.

I've Found a friend, oh what a friend,

The gates of Heaven, He opened.

He watches from the Father's side,

and speaks in words of wisdom.

He gives me strength, to face the day,

e'en though it's filled with evil.

He'll guide me on the narrow path,

and carry me, when broken.

My poetic side is a little rusty. 😅

but it's from the Heart.

James G. Small was born in Edinburgh in 1817. He was educated at the High School there and later attended Edinburgh University. In 1847, Mr. Small became a minister of the Free Church at Bervie, near Melrose. He produced several poetic works including “Hymns for Youthful Voices, ” and “Psalms and Sacred Songs. ” The latter of the two was published in 1866 which is where “I’ve Found a Friend” first appeared. Since then, this hymn has been sung wherever Christ is preached.

J. G. Small died in Renfrew, February 11, 1888.

“I’ve Found a Friend” was a favorite of Ira. D. Sankey and he frequently sang it as a solo during great revival services with a beaming face and a joyful voice.

On one occasion, when Sankey and Henry Moorhouse were holding meetings at Scarborough, there were a group of Quaker ladies, among them, a cousin of the Honorable John Bright. She wrote on a slip of paper and passed it to the platform requesting, “Will Mr. Sankey please repeat the hymn, ‘I’ve Found a Friend, ’ in the usual way? ”

During a cottage meeting held in a lodging-house in the Midlands, a young man, who was an inmate, came into the room where the meeting was held, with the objective of ridiculing the small gathering. After the singing of a few hymns, the young man rose up and asked for the hymn “I’ve Found a Friend. ” During the singing of the hymn, the youth was seen to be in tears, and before the meeting closed one of the workers had the joy of leading the young wanderer to the Savior. The next morning he left town, but before leaving, he sent a letter to one of the missionaries, in which he wrote: “I asked you to sing that hymn because it was a favorite of my dear sister, who is waiting for me at the gates of heaven. I have now promised to meet her there. By God’s help if we do not meet again on earth, I promise to meet you in heaven. You will always think of me when you sing, ‘I’ve Found a Friend. ’ Show this letter to my two other friends. ”

Thus the singing of this hymn, doubtless recalling memories of happier days, was used of God in bringing a wayward one at the feet of Jesus, and now he was able to sing from his heart the song which would always remind him of his sister’s heart’s desire to meet him in heaven.

amen

Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and gave Himself for us.

I don't always find friends, but when I do, I find Jesus.

I’ve found a Friend, oh, such a Friend!

So kind, and true, and tender,

So wise a Counsellor and Guide,

So mighty a Defender!

From Him who loves me now so well,

What power my soul can sever?

Shall life or death, or earth or hell?

No? I am His forever.

He's dependable friend in season and out of season.

He's a true friend to me indeed